Ten, nine,
by MajorBachman
Summary: Ten people go on a boat trip. But things don't work out as expected...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The midday sun cast its golden rays, impeded by two stray clouds only. The Bahama sky was otherwise bright blue. A slight breeze rippled the water.

Is was the same weather as the day before, and the same as the day before that. The temperature had risen from the blessed 70 degrees during the night to the sticky afternoon 90 degrees this Friday. It had been an outstanding spring so far.

The ten people aboard the cabin cruiser _Christie_ were well acquainted with several ways to bear the heat.

Fred Narracot, the captain of the vessel, sat idly at the wheel. He wasn't steering since the enigine wasn't even on. The six foot one, red haired man sat deeply reclined in his chair, his hat over his closed eyes. A soft snoring escaped him from time to time.

Emily Brent, Tony Marston and William Blore were lying on the deck, doing nothing, getting a tan. While Emily was reading a book, Tony and William were talking. The three sometimes looked at the group in the water, but they could not be convinced to join them. Emily simply ignored the calls and turned her nose back into the book. Tony told the swimming band to get lost, causing William to laugh.

"Ah, who needs them," Thomas said with his loud voice, "They're no good swimmers anyway!" and he took another few strokes through the water on his back.

Ethel, his sister, looked at him and snorted as she swam.

"You look like a damned whale!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, maybe - but I've never seen a whale with dick as large as mine!" Rogers retorted.

"Never knew you were interested in whale dicks?"

The others laughed at Ethel's remark.

"Maybe his dad was a whale," Philip asked out loud while he swam by. Thomas turned and tried to grab him, but Philip was too fast for him.

"I'll have you pay for that," Thomas called after him.

"Yeah - whenever!"

Vera, the newest member of the group, took a dive from the boat. As she emerged, Thomas treated her to a splash of water. She had soon realized his unbridled interest in women in general, and now with her specifically, and was a bit relieved she'd decided to wear her green tank suit instead of the revealing bikini; Thomas wasn't the kind of guy she found attractive. He was too young for starters, and his gargantuan frame held little appeal to her.

"Claythorne!" yelled the last swimmer, John Macarthur.

"Yeah?"

"Seen Edward?"

"No. He's not inside, with a bottle?"

"Must be, that bastard's drunk half the time. He downed my bottle of real scotch last week, I'm still pissed."

"Typically Armstrong - I'd bet if I had any money on me."

Macarthur laughed and added, "Maybe he's better off not being here, within my reach..."

Vera gave him a grin and swam off.

* * *

_Welcome, fellow fic-lovers, to my latest fic. The muse sang, the plot practically wrote itself, all that remains for me to do is write the chapters.  
I'll try to publish one chapter per week, but don't hold it against me if I don't, please? Just sit back and enjoy the ride!_

_Immense thanks go out to Duffie for beta-ing and providing feedback. You're gold._

_Disclaimer: I don't own shit and won't make any money out of this. I'm merely playing around with these characters._

_PS: I'll be on holiday next week, probably without internet. I will reply to reviews and PM's, but it will be later than normal. I'm sure you'll excuse me for that minor inconvenience.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Thomas grabbed Philip's leg and pulled him under. Then he worked him further down with his arms, putting his weight behind it. He laughed loudly as he pushed Philip once more under water.

"Leave him alone, Thomas, you've been a pain in the ass to him whole day," said John, and he slapped the big guy.

"Fuck off!" answered Thomas. But he let go of Philip and swam away.

John helped Philip catch his breath.

"Fucker's been onto you all day! I don't know how you stand it, I would've kicked him in the nuts a long time ago."

"I think..." Philip started, "I think he's mad about something, or just bored. I dunno."

"Yeah, well, let him try picking on me for while, I'll teach him!"

Philip nodded in approval.

"I've had enough," he then stated and headed back to the boat.

"I'm with you," said Ethel and followed him. When she swam next to him, she touched his back and when he looked at her, she winked.

Blue-eyed Tony saw Ethel and Philip head for the boat and rose to his elbows.

"Looks like two are coming back."

Emily didn't react; William opened his eyes and turned his head.

"My guess is they've had enough," he stated.

"Smart ass!" Tony reacted, but he was too lazy to give dumb William a smack on his head.

Emily rose to her feet and went into the small cabin. Tony watched her go, admiring her perfect legs, her bikini and what was underneath. He sighed.

"I'll get her out of her clothes and in my bed within one day when we return," he fantasized.

Fred awoke as Emily's walking and Ethel and Philip's getting aboard rocked the boat. His eyes opened, but his hat still covered them. He took a deep breath and stretched his long limbs. After that, he removed the hat from his face and put it properly on his head. A look at his watch told him he'd slept an hour.

"Time for a bite," he said to himself. He put his feet to the floor and rose.

A scream came from the cabin. Fred raced to the door opening and jumped inside. His feet hit the floor, but on it was a layer of water. One step in front of him was Emily.  
"The boat is taking water!" she yelled and pointed towards the fore.

Fred could see waves of water rushing inside. An surge of adrenaline went through him.

"Get outside!" he told her, and pulled her back. He took a look around and saw some legs on the bench. Taking another step, he saw it was Edward. With two more step he was at the bench, and he shook the limp body.

"Get up! We're taking water!"

Edward mumbled a bit, but didn't move. Fred shook him even harder, and slapped Edward on his head to wake him.

"Err.. what? Cut that out!" he said, his voice still a bit slurry from the booze.

Tony lifted Edward upright.

"Get out of the cabin!"

"What?" Edward asked, then realization hit him. "Oh, right!" he said and got off the bench. He walked, using his hands to keep his balance.

Fred continued towards the fore, looking for what was going on exactly. He could see the waves in the water. There was definitely a leak, and it wasn't a small one.

"Damn!" he said. He looked around but found nobody. He checked the head and found it was unoccupied. Meaning everybody was on deck, or outside.

He tried to find the source of the water, but he couldn't tell anything more than that the water came from under the floor on the port side of the vessel.

His mind raced. The boat was taking water. There was too much to bail out. Everybody was outside.

Fred walked back, now feeling the boat was starting to tilt, and went outside.

"We're making water! Abandon ship!" he yelled.

The others were looking at him in disbelief, stunned and immobile.

"Move!" Fred yelled, "This isn't a joke - the boat is sinking, get into the water and swim!"

He pushed Emily and Philip, who stood closest to him, towards the water.

"Abandon ship!" he called again, and pushed the two in the ocean. He turned and motioned for the others to get off the boat as well.

Edward was the last to jump into the water. Fred looked to see if everybody was in the water. Luckily, it was so. He remembered the life preserver and threw it towards Edward - he'd need it. Then he jumped in also.

"Swim!" he yelled. "There's an island over there!"

As they swam, they often looked behind. It was a matter of minutes before the fore of the vessel was under water, and the aft up in the air.

"Damn!" said Fred.

He watched the ship go under. When he turned to the island again, he saw the devastated faces of the others.

"Come on, swim!" he encouraged them. "Last one on the island buys me a bottle of scotch!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

He had watched the boat as it gently rocked, no need for binoculars for him. It had gone by the island several times now in the past weeks, always with loud music, sometimes stopping. He'd be lying if it hadn't annoyed him each and every time.

He had watched the boat floating around and the occupants swimming for some time when he returned to his kitchen to check on the dough. A quick glimpse told him it would need another fifteen minutes to rise properly.

He went out and walked the winding path to the beach again. He immediately noticed the boat was gone - but it could not have gone that far by propulsion. The inevitable conclusion followed immediately in his mind: it had sunk. If so, he'd need to rise to a higher vantage point to see if there were any survivors.

He went up the path about halfway, then turned right and followed the trail. It wasn't used that much, therefore somewhat hard to discern sometimes, but he knew where to go and could have walked the path blindly. It took him three minutes to reach the place.

The view from the top of the rock was magnificent and he'd spent many an hour there enjoying it, and quietness of a night on a private Bahaman island. He recalled the moments he'd had with his wife there, and smiled briefly.

_Clarice_.

He searched the water level with care. The sun on his back helped, it didn't blind him. Nor would it cause any flares on the water surface. He held good memories of flares.

A thorough search of the ocean told him ten people were on their way to the island. He estimated they'd be at the beach in about fifteen minutes, which suited him just fine. He turned around and went back. He walked at an easy pace, no need to rush. He listened to the birds calling from the trees as he strolled, sometimes whistling a tune of his own. Two-and-a-half minutes took him back to the main path. He turned right.

Back home, he waited another five minutes before taking the dough from the bowl. He kneaded it gently once, then placed it onto the baking tin and put it in the oven. After a glance at the clock, he washed out the bowl and dried it, then went outside and headed towards the beach again, taking a few towels with him as he passed a linen closet.

"We're almost there," uttered William in between his gasps for breath. His words were meant more for his own encouragement, but Vera, who swam nearby, heard them.

"Can you see the beach?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied with difficulty, "I'll be glad.. feel the sand.. between my toes."

"Come on, we're almost there," said Vera who evidently had a higher stamina.

Tony was the first to reach the shore. He dragged himself and Edward, who'd passed out from exhaustion and the alcohol, on the sand. He closed his eyes from the effort, but a voice startled him.

"Good afternoon."

Tony shot up and stared at the man standing a few yards away from him, holding towels. He thought he was dreaming.

"I believe you've have an accident with your boat?"

Tony was too shocked to answer. The man waited politely for a few moments before speaking again.

"I saw your boat and when I looked again later, it was gone. But you weren't."

The man took a few steps forward and offered Tony a towel. In the meantime, the others had reached the shore as well.

"Anyone else a towel?" the man asked, his voice calm and gentle.

The castaways who still had the strength approached him as he stood ready with the towels.

John took a towel and gave the man a pat on his shoulder.

"That's our man," he said.

Vera walked up and took the towel from him, nodding her thanks and smiling. The man returned a genuine smile.

Emily took the offered towel from the man and wrapped herself in it. She was shivering from the effort.

A few minutes passed before everybody was safe, though perhaps not as sound as they hoped to be. Edward had woken for a moment, but fallen asleep soon after. Exhaustion was on everybody's face.

"Where are we?" John asked finally.

"You're on Burgh Island. My island," the man stated, then smiled, "But don't worry about trespassing, I'm sure it wasn't intentional."

He let his words sink shortly.

"And I go by the name of Ulysses Norman Owen and people call me Ulick. Your names, please?"

* * *

_Hello, my dearest partners in fanfic. Thank you for reading the fruit of my keyboard, and an even greater thank you to all of you who took the trouble to review._  
_I'm using this opportunity to tell you I'm having a great time writing this story, due to its source of inspiration it's practically writing itself. I'm a few chapters ahead (I like a bit of margin, no deadlines for me when we're dealing with fun things to do!), so don't worry about new chapters. In case one of you might think to know my source of inspiration, I'm politely asking you to PM me and not mention it in a review - on the promise of a good conversation._  
_Major Bachman_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Hm - that smells great!" said Vera as they entered Ulick's house.  
They were accustomed to good-sized homes, but were impressed with the size and luxury of this place. Nearly forgetting their unlucky incident, they stood in the doorway and beheld the grandeur of the home.  
"I put a loaf of bread in the oven," Ulick answered Vera, "You can have some when it's done."  
"That would be lovely."  
"Yeah, I'm hungry too!" called Edward, standing behind the others in the living room of Ulick's mansion.  
The man of the house's eyes shot towards the vexatious visitor, but he kept a smile.  
"I'll see what I can find for you all," he said, "Please, be seated."

The group sat down in the massive living room. The two enormous sofas held five persons, Thomas taking too much space or else three would have fit on his sofa. The rest used the chairs to a large dining table and Emily sat on the tuffet Vera handed her. Ulick poured glasses of water and placed them in front of each group member. He also poured two jugs of iced tea and placed them on the tables.  
"Thanks, U.," said Tony.  
Ulick nodded and waited for them to have a first sip.

"So, Ulick," Fred started, "do you have a phone, so we can call for a boat to pick us up?"  
"Unfortunately, there is no telephone on this..." Ulick started.  
Edward interrupted him with a flow of profanity.  
"... no telephone on this island," Ulick continued, "and my boat can only take two people. It's a rowing boat, you see."  
"It gets even better!" Edward exclaimed.  
"Shut up, stupid!" John spoke and punched his shoulder.  
"Ouch! Why did you do that?" Edward asked, but didn't dare touch the strong guy.  
"And getting to the next island," Ulick continued, "where a boat might be obtained, takes more than an hour to reach. I suggest I take one of you, and he or she will try to get a boat there."  
"Sure thing," said Fred, "As captain of the now deceased _Christie_, I think I should be the one to go first."  
Nobody spoke against his suggestion as he looked around the group.  
"I would not have expected differently from a captain," Ulick said finally. "Now, I'll arrange something to eat for you all first. And when the bread is done, we'll be off."

* * *

"I should have gone," said Tony, "I doubt Fred will be able to get a boat. If I'd gone, I'd buy us a new boat."  
"If so, you should have spoken up. They're gone now," Philip replied.  
"All my things are gone," whimpered Emily.  
"As are ours," sneered Ethel.  
Emily started to cry.  
"Don't do that," Ethel said angrily, "we're in this together and we're not crying. Cut the crap."  
"Yeah, cut that out, Emily," added William.  
Emily didn't reply, but rose instead and went outside.  
"She'll be back," Tony stated and waved bye-bye to Emily.

Thomas was bored. Ulick and Fred had left half an hour ago and he remembered how long Ulick had said it take to reach the other island. Then they'd have to find a boat and return to the island. It would take ages! He looked around to see if he could have some fun.  
He poked his finger in William's side. William jumped.  
"Cut that out!"  
"Why?"  
"Because I say so!"  
"I don't need to listen to you," Thomas sneered and poked another finger at his victim.  
William got up but Thomas followed him, and kept on poking him. Relentless, he grabbed the other and worked him to the ground, poking him incessantly. Thomas' size kept William from escaping - he was at the mercy of the bored one.  
"Cut it out!" he yelled, and tried to ward off the attacks.  
"No," Thomas replied and continued to harass him.  
"Get off of me!"  
"No, I'm having too much fun!"  
"Yay Thomas! Drive him crazy!" Philip screamed.  
Others interfered as well, some taking the side of Thomas, others tried to help William get away.  
"Poke him! Poke him!"  
"Let him go, big bully!"  
They hit a small table and it toppled over.  
"Ouch, that hurt!"  
"Stop!"

It wasn't until John pulled Thomas away with considerable force that the scene was over.  
"Look what you did, you oaf!"  
"If you hadn't fought me, it wouldn't have happened."  
"Okay, put the table back in place, will you?"  
"Do it yourself."  
"Whatever."  
With everything righted and everybody cooling down, the fun was over.  
"I'm going to have a look around," said Thomas, "See what's on the island."  
"I'm with you," spoke Philip.  
"Me too," added Ethel.  
"Anybody see anything to drink?" Edward asked.

* * *

The three walked the island, only to find it otherwise uninhabited, Owen was indeed the only person to live here. They talked about their host, not believing someone would be willing to live here alone.  
"I'd go crazy, I need people around me," said Ethel, who was holding Philip's arm. She felt hot.  
"I don't need anybody," Thomas stated.  
"Yeah, right," Ethel retorted.  
"But I do like people around," he added.  
"To taunt them."  
"So? What's wrong with that?"  
"Nothing, but it's not what I meant."  
"What did you mean?"  
"I mean, really have someone around, for company, you know," Ethel declared, and her shifty eyes remained on Philip for a long moment.  
"I think I do. I'm getting bored here. I'm going back to the house," Thomas said.  
"We'll remain here for a while," Ethel replied quickly, looking at Philip with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Hannibal rowed his boat slowly but surely back to his island. Surrounded by water, he kept the sun at the proper angle and needed no occasional glance over his shoulder to see if he was still going in the right direction. Not yet. He'd need visual conformation in about ten minutes, to get the accurate course for the small harbor.  
He had two small boxes with him in the boat, he knew he'd have to feed and water his involuntary guests to keep them content and at ease. He didn't want any disturbance. It would be best to keep them happy and get rid of them. Fred had been the first to go, the other would follow soon.

He enjoyed the exercise the rowing providing him. It didn't tire him. His nearly white Borsalino fedora shielded the sun nicely.  
He allowed his mind to wander off, revisiting places and people from the past or studying some piece of art. Right now, Magritte's _Not to be reproduced_ held his attention. He smiled as he studied the depicted objects.

When the time had arrived to check his progress, he looked over his shoulder and saw he was only slightly off, as could be expected with such quiet weather. He adjusted his course with a few strokes. It took him a few more minutes to reach the small harbor he'd built himself four years ago. He moored the rowing boat and lifted the two boxes from it. He placed the smaller one on top of the other and took them to the house in his arms.  
"Hey, Ulick, you're back! What's up?" exclaimed William when he saw the man approach the house. He had taken a seat on the front porch. Vera had joined him later on.  
"Need any help?" she asked.  
"How thoughtful, but I'm fine," Ulick replied, and carried the boxes inside.  
Vera rose and went inside with him, William followed suit a moment later.

"So, what happened?" Tony asked.  
Ulick put down the boxes on the grand kitchen counter.  
"We reached the island," he replied, "and Fred went to get a boat. He wanted me to return here, with some groceries, and prepare you a decent dinner. He'd get here as soon as he'd secured a boat, he said."  
"So, what's in the boxes?" John asked.  
"Normally I'd say wait and see," Ulick replied, "But taking in mind today's happenings, I'll oblige. I have with me the ingredients to a nice broth, steak and some other parts of flesh, and Pana Cotta - an Italian dessert."  
"I'm not into desserts," Emily said sulkily.  
"That's okay," Ulick said, "as long as you eat your meat and vegetables."  
Emily didn't like his reply and stuck out her tongue.  
"You sound just like my mother," she said.  
"You bring any liquor?" Edward demanded.  
Ulick looked at the man passively, though Vera thought she could briefly see some hostility.  
"As a matter of fact, I have. I brought two bottles of rum."  
"Hey! Now we're talking!" Edward exclaimed.

.

"Ulick, that was great. You're a good cook," Ethel said and beamed a smile at the man.  
"Yeah, U.," Tony followed, "you're one hell of a cook. Fred doesn't know what he's missing!"  
Ulick smiled and answered.  
They were all seated around the dining table. Ulick had pulled up some extra chairs from other rooms. The table was large enough for the whole company, though a tight fit in some places.  
"Thank you, Ethel, Tony. I'm pleased to hear you liked it."

Thomas belched, didn't flinch and didn't seem to care. John, who sat next to him, punched his shoulder.  
"Man!"  
Thomas acted as if he hadn't heard.  
"You should at least try to behave a bit," John tried again, and gave him another punch. Thomas turned and punched John back - clearly harder than he had been hit. Had John been less muscular, it would have been a nasty one.  
"Watch it, man, you don't want to start a fight with me," John said.  
"Then don't punch me, you idiot."

"Gentlemen - your plates please? Dessert's on its way," Ulick spoke.  
Both John and Thomas gave him their plates.  
"Babies - always fighting," Emily said, raising her eyes in mock despair.  
"Well, I don't know about you, Emily, but I love babies. Especially this one," Ethel said and took a hold of Tony's upper arm. She laid her head on his shoulder.  
Ulick stacked the plates and brought them to the kitchen.

"I don't like babies," Emily said, "They cry and stink."  
"Okay, what kind of _man_ do you like then?" Emily asked. "Large and strong? Is John your type? Or thirteen-in-a-dozen Edward, is that your thing?"  
"Fuck you, Ethel," Edward said.  
"Not now, love," she retorted, "Maybe tomorrow."

Ulick returned from the kitchen with the desserts and put one in front of each of his guests as a waiter would. When he'd finished, his face carried a gentle smile.  
"Bon appétit."

.

The evening sky grew darker and darker as they sat on the vantage point where Ulick had counted their numbers. There had been only so many chairs, four of them had to sit somewhere on the rock. Fortunately, their host had provided a number of cushions.  
Ulick was sure they didn't see the true beauty of the spot.

"U!" John called.  
"Yes, Tony?"  
"You sit here often?"  
"No."  
"Why not? You have a great view from here."  
"I know. But I don't sit here _often_. I do sit here _occasionally_. There are many more spots on this island that have a remarkable feature. I like to visit all of them."  
William snorted. Ethel, who sat next to him, nodded him with her elbow.  
"What's your favorite spot?" she asked.  
"That would be Shipwreck Rock, five minutes north of here."  
"Shipwreck Rock?"  
"Yes. But the last wreck was over a hundred years ago, or so I've been told."  
"We didn't need a rock," Emily said softly.  
Her words were the last for a few minutes, as each of them relived the moment they'd had to abandon ship.

William was the first to break the silence.  
"You know, I'm glad we're stranded here, Ulick. If you hadn't lived here," he said.  
"We'd be fucked," Edward finished.  
Ethel sat next to Ulick. She put her hand on his, and smiled.  
Ulick patted her hand briefly.  
"Whom shall I take tomorrow morning?" he asked while looking around the group. The movement forced Ethel to remove her hand. Ulick knew they would understand by now there wasn't going to be a boat tonight.  
_Nor tomorrow. Or the day after._  
Nobody answered immediately; a grave silence held their tongues.  
"I'll go," Tony said after a while, "If they have a phone I can get to my money. Maybe I'll buy us a boat tomorrow."  
"That's settled then," Ulick said. "We'll go right after breakfast."

It was way past midnight before anyone felt like sleeping.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Saturday began for the remaining nine castaways with a bright and beaming Ulick announcing breakfast in an hour.

"Ugh. Feel like a train hit me," William said, but didn't rise.  
Tony, who had slept on one of the couches, was the first to move - he worked himself on his elbow and looked around.  
"I think we all had the same accident," he replied.  
"I'm gonna buy us a luxury cruiser," Tony said and yawned, "and we'll go to Bermuda."  
"Whatever," Edward said, "How about anywhere but here?"  
"Yeah - let's get the hell out of here," William added.  
Emily snuck out for the bathroom.  
"Somebody stop her - she'll occupy it forever!" Thomas yelled, but nobody was awake enough to hold her.  
"Don't worry, Thomas," said Ulick, "There's another bathroom for you to use at the end of that hall."  
"It's a large house you have," John commented.  
Ulick looked at him for a moment before answering timidly.  
"This house wasn't built for me or anyone alone. Nor did I build it."  
"But you're alone here now, aren't you?"  
Ulick lowered his eyes and stared at the floor for a moment. His demeanor spoke of deep underlying emotions to them all.  
"I didn't always live here by myself," he said finally, and faced John again. "Until not too long ago I had a fabulous wife here with me, and I'll keep it at that, if you don't mind. I prefer to look ahead instead of retrospection anyway. Breakfast for instance. We'll have breakfast at nine."  
And with that, he nodded and took his leave.

.

At breakfast, everybody ate feverishly. The tension of the last day had demanded a lot of them. Their bodies needed the nourishment. Ulick had brought all kinds of things for breakfast, varying from cereals to bread and from orange juice to coffee. He prepared them eggs and bacon if they wanted - Vera and Thomas said they'd like that. Emily asked for a boiled egg.  
"Well, Tony, we'll be off soon then."  
"Yeah. Sure you don't want me to row, U.?"  
"Don't worry, I'm fine. And I'm used to handling the boat. It's no trouble at all."  
Tony nodded.

"Ulick, do you have some more tea, please?" Vera asked.  
Ulick turned to her and smiled.  
"Off course," he said and rose.  
"And some coffee for me?" Edward added.  
"Anyone else some more tea or coffee?" Ulick asked.  
A few nodded or answered, Ulick served each as they pleased.

"Get us a nice boat - a cruise!" Ethel called after Ulick and Tony in the rowing boat. Ulick rowed with confidence, the waves not much of a problem. Tony waved goodbye.  
"I'm sure he'll get us a decent ride," Vera said.  
"We'll see. He's rich and has the looks, but he's not very bright. He might end up buying a rowing boat, thinking it's a cruise ship," Edward spoke.  
"Shut up, you bastard," John reprimanded and pushed him, "at least he's trying."  
"Yeah - he always _tries_, but I've never seen him _succeed_."  
"What about you? What have you done, except drink and be obnoxious?"  
"Hey - at least I haven't given anybody false hope!"  
"No, you've given us nothing at all. I'm sick of you," John stated. He took a few steps away.  
"I'm going for a walk around the island. Anyone like to join me?"  
"I'm with you," said Ethel, and took John's arm.  
Vera and William didn't say anything, but simply followed John's lead.

"I kinda like the island," said Vera. She was walking next to John, she'd traded places with Ethel somewhere along their walk. Ethel and William were walking a few paces behind them. Ethel held William's arm and whispered something to him every once in a while.  
"Maybe I would too, if it wasn't for this shit," John said.  
"You really dislike Edward, don't you?" Vera asked.  
"Who wouldn't? He's a no good lowlife son of a bitch."  
"Why hasn't somebody told him to take a hike?"  
"I dunno. Maybe because he has times when he buys us all something nice. Maybe because he lets us drive his cars. You saw his Merc?"  
"No."  
"It's nice. Stick around and see."  
"And Thomas?"  
"Pain-in-the-butt if you're on the wrong side of the line, but he's great fun when he's on your team. Don't let him scare you."  
"He doesn't scare _me_. I think he's overdoing it with some of the others though."  
"He can be rough, but they can take it. If not, they're free to go, right?"  
"I guess," Vera said. She'd noticed the two behind them had gone off. She had heard Ethel's giggles during their walk.  
"Let's not go there," Vera said and pointed the other way, "It looks more promising over there."  
"Sure," John replied and followed her.

Edward entered the house, carrying a box. All could hear bottles inside; no wonder Edward was carrying it. Ulick entered right after him, carrying abox of his own. His face wasn't too lively.  
"I've got news from Fred and Tony," he said.  
Ulick put his box down and told Edward where to place his. Everybody gathered around the man to hear his words.  
"Only, it's not the news you've been hoping for, I'm afraid," he started. "There was only one boat, but it was under repair. The rest are out to sea. It would take them a few days to return, even if they were willing. The boat under repair will be fixed in five days, but that's just an estimation..."  
"Shit!"  
"Fuck me!"  
"I've told Fred I'm willing to row each of you to the island, one by one due to my rowing boat, over the next few days. I'll only be able to take two per day, but you should all be gone by Wednesday."  
Ulick retrieved all sorts of foods from his box all the while.  
"Man! And we thought those two could fix anything!" Philip complained.  
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience," Ulick said, "I'll make sure you won't lack anything while you're here. Hospitality and good manners are very important to me."  
"You're a good man!" John said and gave Ulick a sturdy pat on his shoulder.  
Ulick smiled. "I'll take one of you this afternoon. Who shall it be?" Ulick asked.  
The group looked at each other, but nobody spoke.  
"How about you, John?" Ulick asked, "How about you?"  
"What the heck, why not? Doesn't really matter anyway in which order we go, right?"  
"Exactly," Ulick said, "That doesn't matter. You're welcome here, you've had quite an incident. No trouble at all. There's room here for each of you, and I'll make sure you all leave this place decently."  
Ulick stored the cereals, jams and other regular foods in a cupboard, and took the small boxes with meat to the fridge.

The group had split again after Ulick had taken John. Thomas, William and Edward went out, Emily and Vera went for a swim in the ocean and Ethel and Philip remained inside.

Thomas lead the others. He didn't wish to go far. It was hot and he was bored and he didn't like to walk, but he felt locked up inside and needed some room to move. He didn't really lead the group, he just walked and the others followed. They walked for about ten minutes when they reached a place where they found the remnants of an earlier campfire. The idea to make a fire too came swiftly.  
William collected wood while Edward went back to the house for some matches. Fifteen minutes later, they had a fire going. Edward had brought two bottles with him, no glasses. They drank, and tried to perform some fire breathing. They didn't succeed, but had great fun trying nevertheless.

A few minutes later they were joined by Ethel, who'd heard their noise and wanted to see what they were up to. She smiled as she saw the three of them.  
"You guys are crazy, you know? It's a hundred degrees or so and you made a fire?"  
"Shut up and sit down. Here, have a drink, sis" said Thomas. He pulled Ethel down next to him and handed her one of the bottles. She just laughed and took it from him.  
"Ah hell, why not? To clean up a bit," she said and put the bottle to her mouth.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sure some of you would have preferred some cannibalism or brutal murders in this chapter, and perhaps even think this story's getting a bit boring. Well, perhaps it is, but perhaps this is intentionally and all I'm asking is a little patience? Hang on, my dear readers! All in due time, nothing without a reason...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sunday began with a few clouds in the sky, but cleared soon enough. The remaining members of the group had decided Thomas was next to go; the corpulent guy wasn't at ease on the island at all. He was relieved to see the sky clearing up, he'd be off the island in half an hour!

"Thomas, tell Tony I'm disappointed, okay?" Edward said.  
"Will do. Anything else?"  
"Make sure Ulick returns with some more liquor. What he brought yesterday's gone."  
"Sure thing. Hey, where's Ethel? ETHEL!"  
Thomas called his sister a few times and waited for her to show up.  
"You behave while I'm away, okay?"  
"Since when are you your sister's keeper?" she said coyly and pretended to pout.  
"Hey, I _am_ your big brother. Don't you forget that!"  
"I won't. I'll behave… perhaps," she said and grinned.  
Ulick came through the door towards the three.  
"Thomas. Are you ready to go?"  
"Sure am!"  
"Right. Let's go. Any last words?"  
"Nah, I'm fine."  
"Right then. Let's go," Ulick said and led the way to the boat.

Emily lay on a few cushions on the front porch, belly down now, reading a book from Ulick's library. She'd been there all morning long enjoying the time to herself, nobody around her disturbing her with something to show or tell. She could entertain herself quite well, strangely enough, but preferred the attention and possibilities of others more.

The sun was warm. She turned around to lie down on her back. Putting the cushions more under her head, she could still read the book as she enjoyed the moment. Birds and bees flew hither and thither. She didn't notice them, engrossed as she was. She turned a page. Something landed on her upper leg. She let go of the book with one hand to shoo it away, but when she did, it stung and she cried out from the piercing pain. She dropped the book and looked down, screaming at the burning sensation. She saw the bee on her leg with its stinger still in her, but it came loose. She jumped up, waved her arms frantically and called for help.  
Philip was the first to arrive at the porch.

"Emily! What's wrong?"  
"A bee! A bee!"  
"What?"  
"It stung! In my leg - it hurts!"  
As she jumped around, Vera arrived. She heard her words and pushed her back down on the floor.  
"Hold still, I'll get it out!" she said.  
"Hold her, Philip!"  
"Okay, okay!"  
Philip sat down behind Emily and held her still, while Vera held her leg. Using the nails of both her thumbs, she removed the stinger from Emily's leg with ease.  
"There you go," she said.  
"It still hurts," Emily cried.  
"I know, just hold on, okay?"  
Vera went inside, leaving Philip to take care of her. When she returned, she had a frozen piece of meat with her.  
"Here we are," she said and held it to Emily's leg.  
"It will be painful for a few hours," Vera said and sat back.  
"How come you know all this?" Philip asked.  
"I've had a few bee stings myself," Vera answered. "This works best."  
"Stupid bees," Emily whimpered.

.

Hannibal returned to the island eight minutes later than normal. A wry grin showed he knew Thomas' weight to have been the cause, but it had been worth his while. He was glad to have that bulky man off the island, eight minutes was a highly acceptable sacrifice for that cause.  
He moored the vessel at the harbor again and got off the boat. He had taken nothing with him this time. He walked the distance to the house empty-handed, but full of spirit. Everything was going along as hoped.

"Hello, big boy," Ethel greeted Ulick frolicky as he approached the house.  
Her flirtatious words were starting to get to his nerves, but he knew he had to be careful.  
"Good afternoon, Ethel. It's about time for lunch. Do you know, has anyone prepared something?"  
"I wouldn't know," Ethel said.  
"That would have been a pleasant surprise," Ulick said smilingly and went inside. There, he noticed nothing had been done or set. Suppressing the slight urge to sigh, he went over to the kitchen and started his preparations.

"So, who's going to be next?" Ulick questioned when they were all seated around the table again. Now, with Thomas gone, everybody had more than enough room. Ulick had provided them with a decent meal again; bread, rolls, cereals, cold cuts, and more.  
"Doesn't really matter, does it?" Edward said and put another piece of bread in his mouth.  
"Not me," said Emily, "I haven't finished my book yet."  
Ulick looked around the people at the table.

_If you only knew, you'd do anything to get off this island…_

"I'll go," William said.  
"Good," Ulick replied.  
"Vera, the sugar!"  
Vera passed the sugar to Philip, who put some extra in his tea.  
"Ulick, what do you do for a living?" Ethel asked.  
"I've had many years of experience with law enforcement," he answered, then grinned. "Not the best years of my life. I'm glad to spend some time here now. You could say I've retired."  
Ulick took another bite.  
"When do we leave?" William asked.  
"Half an hour," said Ulick after he'd swallowed his bite.  
"Cool."

William was lying lazily reclined in the rowing boat. He had asked Ulick out of politeness if he wanted him to row, but the man had politely declined the offer.  
_That wasn't a surprise, but suit yourself. Row us all. Have a heart attack._  
The weather was unaltered, the same bright sun and clear blue sky. An ocean with less wrinkles than his grandmother's face. William relaxed as Ulick smoothly worked his way over the billows.  
He was envious of the man's hat. He'd had a bit of a Tom Sawyer hat on the boat. He cursed silently at their misfortune. He'd lost many great things then, it'd be impossible to replace them all!

"We'll be there in twenty," said Ulick.  
William noticed the man wasn't even the slightest bit out of breath.  
"Sure," he replied.  
_Fuck Fred. Fuck Tony. Fuck 'em all. Can't even get us a fucking boat!_  
"We'll use the separate bay. We can't use the main harbor with our rowing boat."  
"Fine," William replied, yawning.  
_Might as well get a short nap…_

"Would you tie the rope, please?" Ulick requested, waking William with his raspy voice.  
William opened his eyes. He saw they'd entered a small bay, with only a tiny wooden pier and a path trailing away from it.  
"Yeah, sure," he said and got out of the boat, holding the end of the line. He tied it. When he was done, Ulick got out of the vessel. William looked at him, Ulick's gaze burned him.  
_What the…_

Hannibal held the Buck Boone and Crockett Guide in his left hand behind his back as he approached the lazy and addled William.  
_If only you knew you have only a few more seconds to live…_  
Thomas had been a waste of space and time, a good for nothing _pig_. Hannibal decided while he rowed the fat guy it wouldn't do to sink his teeth into this loathsome person. If he hadn't been so large, he would have killed him there and then, but throwing him overboard would have been dangerous at least, and probably even impossible. So he took him to this uninhabited island like the others, but killed him immediately by simply slicing his belly deeply with his Buck and toppling him into the water. He'd then tugged him like a snag to open water - plenty of fish in the ocean who wouldn't mind feeding on pig meat.  
William, on the other hand, looked very promising.  
As he took his second to last step, Hannibal swung out his left arm. As his foot touched the floor, the knife sliced William's neck. Hannibal ducked to avoid the blood. William's body fell to the side. Using the momentum of his last step, Hannibal pushed the fellow. William fell, his chest hit the floor as his head hung over the edge of the pier. The blood sprayed neatly into the water as William's body shook in a few convulsions.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Edward sat on one of the rocks on the vantage point and looked out over the ocean that Monday morning. He had watched Ulick row his boat, taking Ethel to the others. Edward missed her already, she liked to touch people and he liked her to touch him. Maybe she was playing with Ulick right now. Edward cursed briefly.  
A number of bright white clouds inhabited the sky, providing shelter from the relentless sun from time to time.  
Edward took another pull from the bottle of rum next to him, emptying it. Swearing, he rose, with difficulty, and returned to the house.

Vera was sitting in a chair on the porch, reading a book.  
_She's as silly as Emily. What's the fucking use of reading?_  
He didn't even greet her as he passed her and entered the house. He found nobody inside. Edward wandered to the place where Ulick kept the alcohol, only to find it empty. Edward hit the kitchen counter with his fist. He didn't feel anything.  
_Absobloodily senfucksational. Just what we needed._  
He looked around undecidedly, his eyes went over the place but nothing of interest roused him from his almost dreamlike state. He just wanted something to drink. After some time his feet started to walk and took him through the house. He knew and didn't know what he was looking for anymore.  
He approached Ulick's quarters and the thought he might not be welcome there didn't enter his mind. His slightly shaking hand took hold of the door knob and he entered the room of his host.  
He felt the difference in carpet immediately; here it was thick, velvety and of a deep brown hue. And he saw his host had a king sized bed. Edward thought he'd love to sleep on such a bed. Maybe later - he needed a drink first.  
Going through the room, he found a walk-in closet. As he looked inside, he could see Ulick's wardrobe. He saw soon enough the man wouldn't be keeping anything Edward would like in there, unfortunately. He walked on and found another walk-in closet. Edward peered inside and had some trouble focusing at first, but he then realized this was a woman's closet. Everything was spick-and-span, not one thing lying about. As if it wasn't in use.  
_It isn't in use, you dumb shit. He said he didn't always live here alone. Must be his wife's clothes. Wonder what happened._  
Edward belched.  
The third door was the door to the bathroom. Edward stepped inside and had a good look around. Large white tiles on the walls, deep brown tiles on the floor. And it housed an enormous bath.  
_Impressive. I'd like to take a bath here!_  
Edward normally wasn't really troubled by what others thought, but after a moment or two he decided against the idea.  
Having found nothing again, he went out of Ulick's room to search elsewhere.

.

"Move over, Eddie," Philip called with a grinning face as he approached Edward, who was fishing from the small wooden pier.  
"Shut up and sit down," Edward retorted.  
Philip sat down next to Edward and looked at the cork. It was bobbing up and down with the flow of the waves. He then looked up at the sky.  
"The clouds haven't cleared," he said.  
"No."  
"Seems like there's even more clouds now."  
"Could be."  
Philip watched the cork again. They sat in silence for a minute or two, waiting for a fish to take the bait.  
"No luck yet?"  
"No."  
Edward reeled in his fishing line, only to reveal an empty hook.  
"Fuck."  
Edward took another piece from a sandwich and rolled it into a ball before fixing it to the hook. He cast his line out again after that.  
"Who'll be next to go?" Philip asked after a while.  
"Dunno."  
"Would you like to go?"  
"I'd like you to go."  
"Yeah? I thought maybe you'd like Emily to go, she's no fun. Yeah, maybe I will go."  
Edward looked at the simpleton next to him. Then he checked his cork, only to see it was as immobile as before. Not a damned fish was willing to take his bait. He took in his line and put the rod down on the pier next to him.

"I like Emily," Edward said.  
"Why?" Philip asked.  
"Why not? Maybe a bitch, but a good looking one."  
"Yeah, that's true. Too bad Ethel doesn't have her looks, she's willing."  
Edward nodded.  
"Ethel's a bit of a baboon," Philip said. "A horny, ugly baboon."  
"And Tony's a sleazy weasel," Edward replied and laughed. Philip joined him, which fed their shared jocundity, leading to an even louder laughter.  
"And Thomas is a big brown bear!" Philip added between two bouts of merriment.  
Edward hadn't laughed like this in ages. He was oddly giddy and mirthful.  
"Holy fuck!" he said between gasps for air, "I think… we've got a… a… whole fucking zoo!"  
This renewed Philip's laughter to unprecedented heights, which caused Edward to laugh out like crazy as well.  
"Man… stop! I… I need to pee!" said Edward.  
"P what?" Philip asked with trouble, still doubling with guffaws.  
"Pee! Piss, take a leak, give Willy a hand, water the flowers, …"  
"I get it!" Philip exclaimed, roaring again and again.  
Edward rose, swaggering from the bellows of laughter, and opened his fly. He peed into the ocean, while Philip still couldn't get himself under control.

.

As they neared the bay, Hannibal focused on the task ahead and became Predator. He estimated Philip wouldn't be as interesting as Fred or John to hunt - the guy wasn't a leader but a follower. Such people were only imaginative when with a leader and even then it was merely an enlarged copy of the leader's deeds.

He'd opted for his Harpy this time. It held a shorter blade than the Buck, but it effectiveness matched his style better. The Buck had proven a worthy alternative when dealing with fat people like Thomas. Hannibal would have loved to use his Harpy on William, but there had been no opportunity to change knives yesterday after returning from taking care of Thomas.  
William had been a lazy person. His meat had reminded Hannibal of veal, his picky guests hadn't complained.  
What would Philip taste like?

"Hey, we're almost there!" Philip called out as he opened his eyes and saw they'd nearly landed.  
"Yes, we're almost done," said Hannibal. "Sit still, please. You're rocking the boat."  
He could sense Philip didn't like the rebuff.  
_Excellent. Feel the vexation of unpleasant company for yourself._  
They neared the pier and Hannibal maneuvered the vessel to it with ease.  
"Take that line and tie the boat."  
Again, he could sense his words provoked Philip.  
_Ah - clearly a problem with authority._  
"It's easier if you tie it. I need my hands in the boat."  
Philip looked at him and nodded. He took the end of the line, turned around and started to tie a knot. Behind his back, Hannibal rose and got out. He waited for Philip to tie the line and get on the pier.  
"And… done!" Philip said as he made a last knot and worked his way onto the pier.

"Philip," Hannibal started to say, "what you're about to hear will surely be a surprise, something you hadn't expected to hear. But believe me when I say every word will be true."  
"Eh?"  
"Just try and listen," Hannibal said. "This island is uninhabited."  
Hannibal waited a moment before he continued. He could see Philip's mind process his words from the surprise on his face.  
"Yes, we're on an uninhabited island. You're not near a village, we won't be looking for the others either."  
Hannibal could see a slight trembling in Philip's left leg.  
_Good - you're listening. Yes, something's wrong indeed. _  
"I did take the others before you here as well. Only, I didn't take them here to rescue them. I took them here to _hunt_ them."

.

Cutting away some excellent tenderloin, Hannibal whistled the adagio of Beethoven's 26th piano sonata in a lightsome way. He placed the excellent bit of meat neatly in a container, and returned to the carcass of Philip, who'd been stripped of several parts of meat already. The liver had been one of the first things to preserve, Hannibal had been pleased to find it in excellent order.  
_I think we'll have a true festive dinner this evening._  
Hunting Philip hadn't been too much of a challenge, which was as he'd expected. Despite its fast ending, it had been an enjoyable pastime nevertheless.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The four remaining people sat and watched the ocean from the vantage point they all were familiar with now. Clouds in the sky, nearly immobile. Sometimes one would block the setting sun for a while but that didn't help fight the current stifling and brewing climate, the thick moist air was ubiquitous and remorseless. The red glow from the sky colored their perception of everything.

"Feels like a storm is on its way," Emily said. "We'll be stuck here tomorrow."  
The uncompassionate woman sighed deeply while she watched the clouds.  
"I want to go home," she added.  
"Screw you - we all want to go home," Edward rebuked.  
"What do you think, Ulick?" Vera asked.  
"I foresee no trouble at all tomorrow. It will pour this night, but the clouds will disperse before morning light and tomorrow will be bright and sunny again."  
"You think so?" Emily asked incredulously and turned to face him.  
Ulick nodded.  
"Absolutely. I take it you will be the first to go tomorrow?"  
"That would be heaven."  
"You'd like to be in heaven?" Ulick asked.  
"As long as I can do what I want there," she replied.  
Ulick nodded again and smiled.

That night, Edward couldn't sleep from the weather outside. He kept tossing on his makeshift bed on the floor in the kitchen as the wind blew around the house and the rain hit the windows. The earlier consumption of half a bottle of gin - courtesy of Ulick - didn't ease his nerves now.  
He rose and went to the bathroom for a piss. When he returned and passed the living room again, Vera entered that room from the other side. She looked surprised.  
"You up too?" she asked anxiously, throwing a quick peek behind her.  
"Yeah," Edward said. "The weather outside's driving me crazy."  
"Eh, yeah, me too. Couldn't sleep. I.. eh… thought I'd get me some water."  
They stared at each other for a moment more.  
"Maybe I should try to get some sleep," Vera said finally.  
"Yeah. I think I'll do the same."  
"Bye."  
"Bye."

.

As Ulick had predicted, the next morning greeted them with a clear blue sky and a gentle sun. The last hours of the night had provided them with a good, deep sleep. Edward was surprised he actually felt rested.  
Ulick served them breakfast. That was something Emily was going to miss, she admitted to herself.  
"Vera, would you like some more coffee?" Ulick asked.  
"That would be bliss."  
"Emily? Edward?"  
Both nodded.  
"So, whom shall I take this morning?"  
"I think Emily should be the one to go now," Vera said.  
"Really?" Edward asked.  
"You have a problem with that?" Vera demanded, her eyes ablaze with fire.  
"Erm… well, maybe. Why Emily?"  
"Why not?"  
Edward couldn't come up with a decent answer to that. He looked at his plate.  
"Sure, let her go first," he complied after some silence.

Edward walked around the island, killing time. With nothing to drink anymore and nobody to fool around with but that bitch Vera, he wished he'd been more persistent this morning. Now it would be another three hours on this godforsaken island. He loathed it. He loathed the ground beneath his feet. He loathed the sun in the sky. The birds in the trees. Everything.  
He threw a rock at a bird in avicide, but failed. The bright colored avian didn't even fly.  
_Fuck!_  
He continued along the trail. When he'd travelled a fair distance, it took him down a slope. To his surprise he saw a building at the end of the trail, bordering on the ocean.  
_What the fuck?_  
He walked over and wanted to look inside, but there were no windows. The door was locked with a sturdy padlock. Shiny. _New_.  
_Maybe there's a way to get in from the ocean side…_  
Edward jumped in the water and swam around the structure. He smiled when he saw the building held a giant overhead door to this side.  
_Maybe I can swim inside._  
He took a breath and dove under, but saw at once he wouldn't be able to get in from this side either: a steel frame prevented access. But he could see a modest cabin cruiser inside the building.  
_What the fuck? This is HIS island - HIS boat! Man's got a fucking boat!_

.

By the time Edward returned to the house, his clothes were fairly dry again from the sun and wind.  
Edward wanted to know what this Ulick was up to - telling them he only had a rowing boat but keeping a cruiser hidden on the island. He wanted answers, and soon!  
"Vera!" he yelled.  
No reply.  
"Vera!" he yelled again as he entered the house. A muffled noise came from down the hall. He took a few quick steps and called again.  
"What?" Vera's voice rang from the bathroom.  
"You in there?"  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"Ulick's got a boat!"  
"What?" came the voice from inside.  
"Ulick's got a boat! I found a boat house - the man's got a fucking boat!"  
Silence from within the bathroom.  
"What do you think?" Edward called.  
"Hold on. I'll be out in a minute, okay?"  
"Okay," said Edward and took two steps back to wait for Vera.  
He waited restlessly until he heard the toilet flush. A tentative step forward showed his unease. As Vera exited the bathroom, she nearly collided with Edward.  
"So, you say he's got a boat?"  
"Yeah, I saw a boat. It's his island so it's his boat, right?"  
"I think so," Vera answered and her brow creased in a frown. She saw Edward's red eyes and noticed they were filled with nervousness.  
"Maybe…" she started, "maybe it's not his?"  
"No, that can't be. Why would he keep someone else's boat on his island?"  
"You're right. Weird."  
"Weird - yeah."  
A moment of silence passed between them.  
"You know what, there's two of us. If something funny's up, we can handle him, right?" Vera asked rhetorically.  
"Sure - right! What are you thinking?"  
"Well, why don't we just ask him? I'll say I took a walk and found a boat house and we'll see what he has to say to that."  
Edward contemplated her words briefly.  
"Okay," he said finally, "we walk up to him, you ask and I'll be ready for him."  
Vera grinned.  
"I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for it. You'll see."  
"I hope so. I want to get out of here, fast!"  
"You will, Eddie, you will," Vera said and smiled at him.

.

Hannibal returned well in time for lunch. He was glad the number of visitors was nearing nil, the effort to keep them fed and entertained was getting tiresome. Hannibal didn't mind the amount of work - he'd been the host of one or two dinner parties in the past and never minded the preparations and tasks involved - but these huddlers were a completely different crowd. They bothered him, annoyed him.  
_Soon they will have all gone…_

He tied the rowing boat to the pier and walked the path towards the house, enjoying the walk that gently loosened the muscles of his legs. He could hear their voices inside as he approached the building. Edward was talking nonsense again. Hannibal opened the door and stepped inside.  
He could see the tension in Edward. Vera appeared to be agitated as well.  
"Shall I prepare us some lunch?" Hannibal informed.  
"Erm.. yes, that would be nice," Vera answered.  
Hannibal saw Edward move around him, flanking him, trying to get out of Hannibal's perception, but Vera's eyes pointed him out exactly. And he could hear and feel him anyway, standing to his left, two arm lengths away. One step in his direction and he would be within reach.  
"So, Ulick," Vera started and Hannibal could hear a note of unease in her speech. He smiled.  
"Yes?"  
"I thought you said you didn't have a boat?"  
"Except the rowing boat?"  
"Yes."  
"No, I did not quite say that. I said my boat could only take two people at a time because it was a rowing boat. I believed it was of no interest for you I own a cruiser that is out of order, so I didn't mention that boat. I'm expecting the necessary parts in three weeks. I _am_ surprised it took you a few days to find the boat house."  
Vera blushed and turned her head partially away. Hannibal smiled. Then he heard Edward move again and he could see the obnoxious fellow in his peripheral vision again.  
"Glad we've got that settled," Hannibal said, "Now for lunch. Let's see what's in the fridge."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Still a bit uneasy, Edward had conceded nevertheless to be brought by Ulick per rowing boat. There was something about this man that didn't feel right to him, he just couldn't put his finger to it.  
"Do you see the island yet?" Hannibal asked. "It should be visible by now."  
"I don't see anything," Edward said while squinting in the distance, "Can't make anything out yet."  
Hannibal noticed Edward's near-sightedness at once and wondered how it would affect the man's chances when hunted. The pleasure would have to be in the hunt mainly this run, since Hannibal had not intended to harvest many parts of this intrusive alcoholic - he estimated the yield to be minimal and of poor quality.  
_Inedible __Eddie._  
Hannibal believed Edward, to credit him with at least one thing positive, would be a worthy prey to pursue. He wasn't as stupid as most members of the group that preceded him, and probably more resourceful. He was sure this afternoon was going to have the best recreational activity of the last few days. He was truly looking forward to this.

"Can you see the pier yet?"  
"I see something, I think," Edward answered.  
"Good."  
Hannibal turned around for a moment to see for himself.  
_No __more __than __a __dioptre __of __-1, __it __seems. __Nothing __to __worry __about._  
"As you probably already noticed, this is not the village, nor the harbor of the island. But we're not allowed there with a mere rowing boat. The village is right behind that projecting rock, we'll walk there once we've landed."  
He could feel a hint of doubt arise in Edward.  
"Or would you mind walking there yourself? I have some other things to do," Hannibal said as inconspicuously as possible.  
Edward nodded. Hannibal noticed his slightly more relaxed expression.

.

Hannibal sneaked through the undergrowth of the island, his senses on full alert. Edward proved to be a worthy prey, as expected. Hannibal filled with happiness as the noun connected itself in his mind with another noun: predator. Clarice called him that often.  
He could faintly smell his adversary and the broken twigs and torn leaves confirmed Edward had indeed taken this path.  
_You __chose __well. __This __part __of __the __island __is __covered __deepest __in __green, __hiding __you __from __view. Luck or wit?_  
His Buck in his left hand, Hannibal slowly proceeded. He knew better than rush ahead.  
After some time, a clearing with a lake presented itself to him. Hannibal lost Edward's scent as the green no longer kept the wind from dispersing it. The absence of green also disallowed following the trail of twigs. Hannibal looked at the ground, the remaining medium to track Edward. Hannibal noticed with some level of disappointment Edward hadn't thought of jumping from rock to rock to avoid footprints in the sand, but as he followed the tracks, he saw the man had been wise enough to enter the water. Now, Hannibal would have to choose which way to walk.  
_What __did __you __see? __Where __did __you __go?_  
Hannibal scanned the view and recalled the decisions Edward had made so far. Three times left, five times right. Hannibal looked at his right. The lake was surrounded by a lot of rocks there. He turned his attention to the left - mostly sandy beaches. He turned right and walked along the shore of the lake.

Edward panted from anxiety and fear. That madman was after him, going to kill him! He knew it! He knew something was wrong! Why hadn't Vera seen it? Now, he was running for his life from a psycho killer on a remote island. He realized his chances were slim. He had nothing to help him but a piece of wood he'd found and rocks he could throw.  
He ran through the water towards the rocks, to hide there. He held on to the precious makeshift baseball bat as he worked his way between the masses of stone. Once he'd made sure his hiding place had only one way in, he leaned back against the wall and tried to catch his breath.  
_Nobody's __gonna __surprise __me __here!_

There was Edward's distinctive smell again, and stronger than before. He was close now. Hannibal started moving with an even stealthier grace, his muscles under absolute control.  
He closed in on the rocks, surefooted as a mountain goat, lethal as a leopard, silent as an owl.  
_There __you __are__… __I __can __smell __you. __You've __been __hiding __here __for __a __few __minutes, __right? __The __alcohol __has __corrupted __your __breath __and __you __stink __of __fear._  
Hannibal climbed the rock slowly and listened attentively all the while. The stench was getting stronger with every step.  
_Ah __- __I __can __hear __you __as __well__… __Still __out __of __breath? __Hm, __you're __in __an __even __worse __condition __than __I __thought.  
_Hannibal approached a fissure. Edward was in there, hiding and surely waiting for him. He picked up a small pebble as he neared the edge of the rocks. A final check of the information his senses provided him told Hannibal he was in the right place. He threw the pebble - it landed at the beginning of the hideout. The moment it hit the rocks, Hannibal jumped down into the crevice.

Edward was breathing heavily. The exertion was beyond his regular level and he wasn't feeling well at all. Nausea bothered him and he swallowed regularly to keep the contents of his stomach down. The water he'd drunk from the lake had quenched his thirst but his throat was still as dry as sandpaper.  
Holding his bat he was confident he'd be able to keep Ulick at a distance, but he hoped he'd be able to defeat the freak. That would allow him to return to the rowing boat and escape. With Ulick after him, he doubted he'd make it to the boat and off the island.  
A sharp, sudden clatter made him look towards the entrance of his hideout.  
_What __the__…_  
And then a ton of bricks hit him in the back and he fell over.  
When he managed to push himself up again, he heard the feared voice behind him.  
"Hello Edward, I thought I'd drop by. Hope you don't mind?"  
"What do you WANT, you FREAK?"  
"Now, now, no need to call names."  
"I'll call you as I FUCKING PLEASE!"  
An unnerving swift motion from Ulick and Edward felt a sharp pain in his lower legs. As the pain continued, he realized his tendons had been cut.  
"I do prefer better manners than that, you know. But I think the problem is you probably don't, you even had a look inside my bedroom. Your manners are exactly what brought you and your friends into this situation."  
"What?" Edward managed to say.  
"You lack manners. You and your friends have been a terrible nuisance these last few months."  
"What are... you talking about?" Edward stammered.  
"The incessant noise coming from your on-board stereo was irritating enough, but actually setting foot on _my_ island, making a bonfire and doing the things you did - you know what I mean - was unforgivable."  
"We meant… no harm."  
"I doubt that. And you do too."  
Hannibal's face was austere as he looked at Edward.  
"Any last words?"  
Edward stared at Hannibal in disbelief and tacitness.  
"I guess not," Hannibal stated and approached Edward, the Buck ready for the kill.

.

Hannibal rowed the boat to the other side of Burgh Island and tied the rowing boat to the boat house. He got out, unlocked the door and opened the gate. He rowed his boat inside, locked the door again and went up the path to his house, delighted these last few days had been so successful. Everything had gone as smooth as he'd imagined.  
He lifted his fedora to greet the woman on the porch.  
"Hello, stranger," he said.  
"Hello, big boy."  
They kissed passionately.  
"Your visit this night was quite a risk."  
"I needed you, Hannibal."  
"And I needed you, Clarice. But with two of them still around, you shouldn't have come."  
"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it?"  
"You know very well I enjoyed it immensely, my Love," he replied and kissed her.  
"Then stop whining, you wuss," she grinned.  
"Wuss? Clarice, really?"  
She just grinned again in reply, then kissed him again with unbridled passion.

"Am _I_ glad to be sleeping in my own bed again!" Clarice exuberated. She rolled to and fro on the king size bed in delight. Hannibal stood in the doorway and took in the sight he'd been forced to miss for a while.  
Clarice sighed and stretched her arms.  
"I'm in heaven!" she called out.  
"Then I must have died as well," said Hannibal.  
Clarice opened her eyes and eyed him. Pleasure beamed from her face.  
"I missed you," she said.  
"I missed you too. But I think your days have been worse than mine."  
"It's been hell, but worth it."  
"You wish to talk about it?"  
Clarice considered for a moment.  
"Hm. Perhaps a bit."  
Clarice sat up and motioned for Hannibal to join her on the bed. Hannibal removed his shoes and sat down next to her.  
"It was quite obvious from the start they were a group apart, and not much loved by the local people. Their trips weren't planned in advance, they simply did as they pleased - even more than we'd anticipated. It was really simple, actually, to convince them to take me along. As long as they accept you as one of them, they'll accept anything you do."  
Hannibal gently kissed her neck. Clarice moaned with anticipation.  
"It didn't take as long as I estimated to become member of the group," she said.  
"Nor to go on another trip."  
"Ha - I didn't even have to suggest that, Ethel wanted to go!"  
"We'll give her some credit for that, then," Hannibal said and grinned.  
"Ethel. Hrmph. When she touched you, I almost killed her there and then! Did you take anything from her? Did she suffer?"  
"No," Hannibal replied, "hardly any meat on her. And of poor quality. And yes, she suffered."  
"Good. And the rest?"  
"We added quite a stock to the fridge."  
"Pick of the crop?"  
Hannibal smiled in reply.  
Clarice put her arms around Hannibal and pulled him down with her on the mattress.  
"Kiss me, Hannibal. Kiss me and make love to me."  
Hannibal didn't hesitate and got down to business.

* * *

**A/N:**  
And on that note, we leave our (in)famous duo and allow them some privacy…

For the sake of a lot of things but mostly to explain why I wrote this story as I did, I'll reveal I was inspired by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and its core poem (latest version):

Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine;  
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late;  
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Soldier Boys travelling in Devon;  
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Soldier Boys chopping up sticks;  
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Soldier Boys playing with a hive;  
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Soldier Boys going in for law;  
One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea;  
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo;  
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two Little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun;  
One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Soldier Boy left all alone;  
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

As I remembered it, I thought it could be fun to write about ten castaways on an island with Hannibal as host. But I added a twist: what if the tenth person was Clarice? From there, I started to fantasize and write out the plot, focusing on connecting it to the poem. Therefore the emphasis was more on what happened on the island (staying up late, the bee, etc.) than on getting rid of the intruders. I can only wish my decision will be approved now I've explained where it originated.

Anyway, thank you for reading and (if you did) for reviewing!

Major Bachman


End file.
